DUBAI, 28th April, 2018 (WAM) -- Expo 2020 Dubai has become the first World Expo and the second ever ‘mega-event’ to secure a Procurement Excellence award from the highly respected Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) organisation, a major vote of confidence for the next World Expo’s procurement practices, according to the Government of Dubai Media Office.

The recognition makes Expo 2020 the first major global event outside the United Kingdom, after the London 2012 Summer Olympics, to receive the award from CIPS, a global body that works with organisations involved in procurement and supply chain management.

The stamp of approval was awarded as part of the CIPS Procurement Excellence Programme following a thorough review of Expo 2020 Dubai’s procurement practices. The programme assesses organisations in five key areas: leadership and organisation, strategy and policy, people, processes and systems, and performance management.

Designed and delivered by the world’s leading procurement experts, the CIPS Procurement Excellence Programme is the only independent and comprehensive assessment of its kind. Expo 2020’s CIPS award recognises the high quality of its procurement operation, meaning that vendors and participating nations can be confident that they will benefit from a seamless process.

Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, said: "We have designed our procurement processes around simplicity, transparency and inclusivity to allow anyone, anywhere, to tender as easily and competitively as possible.

"Expo 2020 will leave a lasting economic legacy and contribute to new business generation, GDP growth and job creation in the UAE and across the region. The CIPS award is the testament to all of our planning and hard work, which will help to ensure the delivery of an exceptional Expo."

Headquartered in the United Kingdom, CIPS is the globally recognised professional body for the procurement profession and is a not-for-profit organisation.

It promotes and develops high standards of professional skill, ability and integrity among all those engaged in procurement and supply chain management, helping individuals, organisations and the procurement profession as a whole to achieve all-round excellence.

Gerry Walsh, Group CEO of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, said: "Expo 2020 Dubai have embarked on a journey of continuous improvement and we have seen through the assessment process, their hard work, dedication and tenacity to make improvements and achieve results.

"The value the team has placed on excellence in procurement practice should be applauded and we congratulate everyone involved on their success."

In 2017, Expo 2020 Dubai awarded more than AED 11 billion of contracts, and this year’s opportunities span the fields of design, logistics, health and safety, construction and materials. The total value and number of contracts expected to be awarded in 2018 will be announced in the coming months.

To date, Expo 2020 has awarded 3,093 contracts of which 1,717 have been awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These companies form an important part of the delivery and economic legacy of Expo 2020, with 20% of Expo’s contracts to be awarded to SMEs.

Through its overall theme, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, Expo 2020 Dubai will be a platform to foster creativity, innovation and collaboration globally. It will be a celebration of ingenuity that gives people a glimpse into the future, guided by its three subthemes: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability.

Expo 2020, which will run for six months from 20 October, 2020 to 10 April, 2021, expects to attract 25 million visits. About 70% of visitors are expected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion in the 167-year history of World Expos.

Companies and individuals interested in finding out more about procurement opportunities related to Expo 2020 should register on the e-Sourcing portal, which includes details of current and upcoming tender opportunities. More than 20,500 companies of all sizes from 140 countries have already registered.